are also
flattened on the inside in order to give a smoother finish, as they often
are in old Virginia and Kentucky log houses. In Virginia they formerly
hewed the logs flat with broad axes after the walls were up, but that
required a workman of a different type than the ordinary woodsman. The
broadaxe is seldom used now and may be omitted from our kit.

Cabin Plan

A one-room log cabin with double bunks at one end makes a good camp (Fig.
185) with room for two or four sleepers according to the width of the bunk
(Fig. 186).

Fig. 184. Fig. 185. Fig. 186.

[Illustration: The lean-to and one-pen cabin plan.]

The Bunks

The bunks are made by setting the ends of two poles into holes in the logs
bored for that purpose (Fig. 185) and nailing slats across the poles. Over
this a bed of browse is laid and on this blankets are spread and all is
then ready for bedtime.

XXX

THE NORTHLAND TILT AND INDIAN LOG TENT

Log Tents

SOME years ago in the north country the Indians built themselves log tents
like the one shown in Fig. 187. These were the winter houses in the north
country. A ridge-pole was set up on two forked sticks and the logs slanted
up against each other and rested upon that pole. Smaller poles were then
laid up against this frame, both front and rear, all of which could then
be covered with sod or browse and made into a warm winter house. My boy
readers may build a similar house by using small poles instead of big
logs, or they may make a "northland tilt" (Fig. 189), which is a
modification of the Indian's log tent and has two side-plates (Fig. 188)
instead of one ridge-pole. The log chimney is also added, and when this is
connected with a generous fireplace the fire will brighten and warm the
interior of the tilt and make things comfortable. The chimney may be made
by first building a fireplace of sod or stone, as shown in Figs. 269 and
270, on top of which a chimney can be erected in the same manner that you
build a log house.

Fig. 187. Fig. 188. Fig. 189.

[Illustration: Log tilts of the North.]

The front of the northland tilt is faced in with small logs set on end, as
shown in the unfinished one (Fig. 189); this makes a substantial, warm
winter camp. If the logs fit close together on the roof they may be calked
with moss and dry grass. If the cracks are too wide on account of the
unevenness of the log, cover them first with grass, fine brush, or browse
and over all place a coating